Apparatus for stacking articles



Aug. 8, 1950 w. E. KELLER APPARATUS FOR STACKING ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001:. 25, 1948 INVENTOR. LEM/r flux 2w,

Aug. 8, 1950 Filed Oct. 23, 1948 w. E. KELLER APPARATUS FOR STACKING ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 8, 1950 was PATENT OFFICE:

m mo ron STACKING ARTICLES William E. Keller, West Warren, Mass, assignor to Associated Engineers Inc, Springfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 23, 1948, Serial No. 56,100

This invention relates toimprovements in apparatus for stacking articles.

The principal objects of the invention are dirooted to the provision of an apparatus for arranging successive articles in a stack and for transporting the stack away from a stacking.

position.

The apparatus of the invention is adapted for stacking various and sundry articles but for purposes of disclosure the novel features of themvention will be described in connection with the stacking of cartons in their non-set-up relation.

According to novel features of the apparatus successive cartons are arranged in-a stack and successive stacks are transported to a discharge position by a means which allows the stacking;

operation to continue during the transporting operation. i

That is, a transporter is movable between stacking and discharge positions and cartons are stackedcn or over the transporter in its stacking position while when the transporter is moving from and returning to its stacking position cartons are being stacked in the stacking position thereof so as to provide the basis of a successive stack. In this way high speed operation is ati tained.

Various counting devices may be employed to provide stacks :of desired predetermined count and the stacks may be transported in various directions from the stacking position.

With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the w 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevational through the apparatus-on the line 2-2 ofFigfil; t

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the transporter of the apparatus; and i i Fig. 4 .is a sectional :elevational view on the line 4A4 of Fig. -.3.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail,

the invention will be :fully described.

Upper and lower longitudinal members 2 and 4 at opposite sides of the machine are secured together and to uprights 6, 8, and I0.

Transverse members -I2, l 4 and IB are secured to the members 2 and 4 whereby a strong,;rigid support is provided. i

"Iframsverse members [8 and 12B arezsuitably secured to the support andlongitudinallvexqtezrding transversely spaced ways 22ehave ropf3 Claims. (01.214-6) 2 ggsite ends secured to the said members 18 and A transporter includes a slide 24 which is slid able on the ways 22 between a stacking position, shown in Fig. 1, and a discharge position forwardly and to the right thereof. Pushers .16 preferably in the form of tubes have their .lower ends secured to the slide and they extend upwardly therefrom.

Stack supports 2.8 which extend longitudi nally are spaced apart transversely and have their opposite ends secured to blocks 3i] fixed to the members l8 and 21.1.

Rear guides 32 in the form of inverted Us have outer :side portions 34 fixed to a transverse member .36 and inner portions fixed to the members 28. The transverse member .35 has side portions 4i] secured to the support.

Side walls 42 are provided and are mounted for movements toward and away from one another. Forward and rear transverse :bars A l have outer supporting portions '45 which carry 'foot portions Ml that are secured :to the support.

. sleeves iii) are sl-idably adjustahlexon the :bars

.44 and. brackets 1512 are secured to and connect the side walls 42 and sleeves :50.

A :forward stop or guide plate 54.15 secured to rods 55 extending transversely from a bracket 58. The bracket :58 embraces a wall 42 so as tolbe slidable therealong and is held in adjusted :position by zany suitable means such as set screws 16!) arr d y the bracket and sengaseable with the wall. The transverse Width of plate 54 is less than the distance between adjacent inner sides of members 2J5 so that as the transporter rmoves torwardl the members 26 :pass 0.1313051136131683 of I member :54. i

Longitudinal ledges 60' are provided on the walls 42 for supporting opposite ends of the cartons.

For purposes of disclosure it will .be assumed that successive :articles such as cartons are .ted from the left in Fig. 1 and over member 32 so that they :drop onto the supports 12B. Theside walls will be adjusted to accommodate the cartons and the parts 38 of said members 32 will align the cartons to provide a stack; thereof. That is :the :forward end -;0f the cartons will strike plate Mend fall downwardly. The stack is moved to the right or forwardly to discharge position by movement of "the transporter; the members .26 pushing the stack along the supports 28. i

The stack may be discharged onto any means :but for illustrative purpose a conveyor is shown which includes an endless .apron 66 .suppontedaby arotatable-rollfili. I

The transporter may be operated ,b y a n ysuitlable means but .ior purposes of disclosure rthelfollowing is provided. l i :11 s .shatt 1.0 isrotatable in hearing ,ineans 12 The cable is so arranged that as the drum is rotated in opposite directions the transporter is moved back and forth between its stacking and discharge positions.

As the transporter is moved to discharge position the pusher members 26 assume the position represented by dot-dash lines 28' and the cable runs assume the position shown by dot-dash lines 86. Thus, during back and forth movements of the transporter incoming cartons are received and supported by the cable runs 86'. There is no interruption of incoming cartons during movements of the transporter and it is not necessary to reduce the speed of operation so that the transi' porter will move forward and back between delivery of the last carton of the stack being transported and the first carton of the next stack.

When and as the transporter reaches its rear 4 porting stacks thereof comprising in combination, a support for a stack of articles; guiding means for receiving successive articles arranged whereby said articles descend to stacked position on said support, a movable transporter to transport successive stacks from stacking to discharge position, means to move said transporter, and other support means cooperating with said guiding means to support successive articles in stacking position while said transporter is moving between stacking and discharge positions adapted to release said articles onto said support when the transporter is in stacking position, said other support including flexible cables extending rearwardly from upper ends of said pusher members.

2. Apparatus for. stacking successive articles and for transporting successive stacks to discharge position comprising in combination, a support, spaced side walls mounted thereon for moveinents to relatively adjusted positions, an upwardly extending rear guide between said side walls and a stop plate adjustable on one of said side walls and between said side walls, said side walls, guide and plate cooperating to receive and guide successive articles to a stacking position, a longitudinal supporting means for receiving successive stacking position the cartons on the cable runs .50

86 are dropped onto the supports 28 for the forming of a stack.

The shaft 10 and drum 16 may be rotated in opposite directions by various means but the following has been found to be adequate.

An associated reversable electric motor 89 and housing 92 containing gearing has a shaft 9 to which is fixed a crank disc 9%. A member 98 is .pivotallyconnected at Hill to the disc 96 and is provided with a longitudinal slot I02 slidable on a :12

block H14 pivoted on shaft in.

As the motor is operated the drum I6 is rotated to move the transporter between its stacking and non-stacking positions. The operation of the motor or other means for operating the cable drum may be controlled by any suitable means to facilitate producing stacks of the desired count.

In the form of the invention disclosed, the cartons which in stacked relation are transported to discharge position forwardly or in alignment with t the direction of their movement into the apparatus may as well be transported at an angle relative to their direction of 'movement into the apparatus.

It will be noted that successive cartons are delivered to the apparatus and formed into a stack by means of the guides 32, side walls 52 and stop plate 54 and while the stack is moved to discharge position and the transporter is returning to stacking position the flow of incoming cartons is not interrupted.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all 1 respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and Y articles, longitudinal ways, a transporter movable on said ways between stacking'and discharge positions for transporting successive stacks and including pushers extending upwardly from said transporter for engaging and pushing said stacks, operating means including runs of flexible cable extending rearwardly from upper ends of said pushers adapted when said transporter is moving between stacking and discharge positions to support successive articles and to release them into stacking position when the transporter is in stacking position.

3. Apparatus for stacking successive articles and transporting successive stacks from stacking to discharge positions comprising in combination, a supporting structure, spaced longitudinal members secured to said supporting structure for supporting articles in stacked relation, rear and for ward guides and side plates carried by said support for receiving and guiding successive articles into stacked relation, spaced longitudinal guideways carried by said supporting structure, a transporter slidable back and forth on said guideways between rear stacking and forward discharge positions having spaced upwardly extending pushers for moving a stack of articles from stacking to discharge position, means for moving said transporter including a drum rotatable in opposite directions and a pair of flexible cables in operative engagement therewith having opposite ends secured to said transporter and extending over wheels rotatable on said support, end portionsof said cables extending rearwardly from upper ends of said pushers adapted to support successive articles when the transporter i in a positionforwardly of said stacking position.

WILLIAM E. KELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 591,801 Agnew Oct. 19, 189"! 1,569,032 Reichel Jan. 12, 1926 2,101,328 Broadmeyer Dec. 7, 1937 2,466,544 Harred Apr. 5, 1949 

